A Love Unbound
by Jifslayer05
Summary: All seems bleak as the new Authority steps up to rule where the last failed. The Church now commands forces far greater than any have seen before. A complete and total Inquisition seems imminent. There may be only one hope left. Some video game chars. :P
1. Prologue: Catching Up

* * *

**A Love Unbound**

Note: I do not own any of the original characters/plots/ideas/stories from the His Dark Materials trilogy, including The Golden Compass, The Subtle Knife, and The Amber Spyglass, all written by Philip Pullman. The only things I claim to own are the characters of my own creation and the respective storyline that they follow. I sincerely hope you enjoy the story. I am not attempting to submit what I believe to be a better version of the original story, nor am I disappointed with it. I simply wish to continue it.

B.S.

**Prologue:**

One year. It had already been one year. Not exactly one year, mind you, but near enough. All of the windows, excluding the one leading from the world of the dead, had been closed. With the knife destroyed, and many fears laid to rest, all of the respective worlds settled down and attempted to regain their sense of what life was. Everything seemed all backed to normal. Seemed, that is…

* * *

NFTA: In an attempt to give this story a feeling of ominous foreboding, I (The author. Not to sound sarcastic, but merely to inform. Also, "NFTA" stands for "Note From The Author".) will hint that there will be another prominent character appearing later, a boy, with a special secret, trying to find his only friend again. That is all.

* * *

Today was a special day for William Parry. He soon would be graduating the Robert's Academy for Boys. He had been back to school for only eight months, but his sharp mind and intellect and the tutoring of his legal guardian, Mary Malone, caused him to advance farther than anyone expected, and his receiving an astonishing 98 on the Accumulative Board Final Examinations convinced the Dean and the school board that he should be allowed to graduate early. 

He came upstairs to Mary's room, dressed smartly in a shirt, but no tie. The tie was in his hand.

"Hey, Mary?" he asked tentatively, "Can you help me to tie this thing?"

She understood and came out of her bathroom, in a nice dress but with her hair in rollers. Having had no father for all of his life, he could hardly be expected to know how to tie a tie, and she made no comment on it, knowing that he was thinking the same thing. She lifted up his collar and, with her limited knowledge of watching scientists late for meetings put their ties on quickly, helped him to get it on and tied in a satisfactory manner. While she helped him, she had time to study him properly. She saw a lean, strong-jawed young man of 16. It would hardly do to call him a boy anymore. He had experienced more in six months than any ten men had seen in their whole lives. As he swept his brown bangs back across his forehead, she looked into his eyes and saw a person comfortable with death, as one might be comfortable with an acquaintance or friend even. Will had become her only friend in life now, and she would never find a nicer or kinder person to take his place, but she remembered that death was still in there, lurking around in the darkness, smiling in his own little corner of Will's mind, always waiting.

However, she didn't prefer to think of Will that way, so she finished his tie and told him that he should go make some toast to eat before graduation and that she would be ready to leave when she took her hair down.

Will walked down to the kitchen, amazed at how loud his new wing-tipped shoes seemed to stomp and clomp on the wood floors. He set his bread to toast and poured a glass of orange juice. When the toast was done, he spread it with marmalade and began eating it. He mulled over the coming events in his head, and presently began to feel more at ease. Any type of public appearance like this made him nervous, and he had been worrying for two days straight what this graduation would be like. He only wished his mother could be there to see him. She would be so proud. She had been in a hospital for a while now, though. The doctors said she was making good progress, however, and that a complete recovery of her mindset was not an impossibility. This delighted Will every time he thought about it, and it made him merry now, to think that his mother could be well soon. He heard footsteps from the stairwell. Mary came into the kitchen, ready to go, holding a small handbag.

"Are you ready, dear?" she asked Will.

"Yes, as ready as I will ever be", he replied with a smile on his face.

She smiled back and gave him a hug. They walked out of the door, down to the street, and left in Mary's car to start the next part of Will's life. Unknown to them, however, an unexpected visitor would put a halt on Will's graduation, and send his life spiraling in another direction altogether. The car pulled off down the street, and Will was happy.


	2. Chapter 1: A Visitor In The Bushes

**Chapter 1: A Visitor In The Bushes**

Mary let Will out at the entrance to the ceremony and then went to jostle for a parking spot.

"I'll be in just as soon as I park, Will." She called through the car window.

"Okay. I'll see you inside."

She drove off and Will walked purposely through the grassy area towards where the students were told to meet. He made his way past a tree and felt a pair of eyes on him. He knew without stopping to look that it was Kirjava. All morning he had been so nervous that he did not talk to her, but knew that she would come to his ceremony. His unease of being so exposed cleared up knowing that she was here to watch him.

In the past year they had come to know each other extraordinarily well, as it usually is with a human and their dæmon. Will and Kirjava's separation also allowed them both to roam freely of one another, allowing Will to go to school normally. They had grown to love each other dearly and learned to respect each other. Will even thought they had a bond quite similar to the one shared by Pan and Ly-…No, he mustn't think of them right now. The thought of _her_ was a luxury he allowed sparsely and only when he was alone. He never told Kirjava when he thought of _her_, but he knew that she always knew when he did and that she would think of Pantalaimon also.

_Oh well_, he thought, _now isn't the time to reminisce. I've got to get ready for the ceremony._

He found where he was supposed to sit, just as he did in the practice. Mary had arrived to find a seat by this time and he noticed that she was eyeing around for him and he caught her gaze and waved to her. She returned his wave and turned to find a seat close to the stage. While she was preoccupied, Will took a moment to look around the park where the graduation was being held. It was a beautiful park on its own, trees grew everywhere and on any given day you could hear the playful chatter of young children playing on the paved pathways or playground equipment and boys from the Academy could be found studying at the tables and pavilions or enjoying the company of friends. Fountains trickled and gurgled little streams and rivulets of water down past stone lions and monuments.

Today, however, the park was stunning. Ribbons and streamers hung from the pathway lamps and gleaming white tablecloths sat upon round tables where the parents and friends of the graduates sat and sipped refreshments. The Academy's instrumental band abided by the walkway, waiting for the moment for when they would serenade the graduates through their processional march.

Will looked around again and saw that Mary had procured a seat close to the tree in which Kirjava was watching. Her dæmon, whose name she found out later was Marvaccio, an alpine chough, was perched in the tree with Kirjava and Mary had to sit close to him because she hadn't the ability to separate like the witches and Will did. Will was feeling slightly uneasy at this point, but he hadn't a clue as to why. He knew Kirjava was feeling the same way also.

As the time for the ceremony drew near, Will took his place in line. His amazingly advanced grades had earned him the place of Fourth Honor in this year's graduation class and he stood in line behind the Third Honor in the row held by the top ten honors of the class. However, all was not right at this time. The valedictorian, a girl named Anna, was not there. This seemed to trouble the salutatorian greatly. He constantly glanced toward where the students were entering and back to Anna's spot over and over again. He was clearly expecting her to be there.

_He probably just doesn't want to be the only one to make a speech _Will thought silently.

_Most likely _said the other voice in his head, which he knew was Kirjava.

_I just need to calm down some before we start _he thought silently.

_You'll be fine, Will. Just think of how proud everyone would be of you if they knew._

_True. I'll try to think about that._

The boy sitting to Will's left leaned over and remarked "I never thought this day would be here. We're all finally going to start our lives now. I'm going to go to medical school. What do you want as a career?"

"I've decided on being an environmental scientist", replied Will, "but I especially want to work in polar climates."

"Ah, that sounds very interesting."

But Will didn't answer back. In fact, he had to restrain himself with all the self-control he could muster to stop from yelling out. He felt Kirjava's agitation in his mind. It couldn't have been what he thought it was, it just wasn't possible. Not something like that here. There was only one explanation that he could think of for what he saw in the bushes, but it just couldn't be.

_Will, did we both see the same thing in those bushes?_

_I think so, but how can it be? How can a bear be here?_

_Whatever the reason, it must be good. He has no armor on, and he's laying down panting in the shade. He must be waiting._

Will could almost clearly see the bear from where he was if he craned his head just the right way. The bear looked up and Will felt a shiver pass down his spine and he knew that the bear had seen him looking. He averted his gaze and looked towards Mary. She all of a sudden gave a start and shocked several people around her.

"I'm sorry", she apologized, "I think an ant stung my leg, is all". She looked at Will with a gaze full of amazement and he knew that Marvaccio had told her about the bear. Will was stunned. He turned slowly back around to the bear but now it was laying its head down again. His whole body was alive with excitement and fear. A bear! Here! It must mean someone had opened up another doorway between two worlds! He knew not what to do with himself for all his excitement.

_Will, getting excited and giving away something we don't want to is not a wise idea. You need to act calm and as if nothing is wrong._

Will knew the wisdom behind Kirjava's statement, but still, he could not help but to be excited inside. If the worlds were open to one another, then he could see all of his old friends again. Serafina, she would be happy to see him. Iorek might not seem to be so happy, but he knew that Iorek would want to see him again. And then there was _her_. He could not contain himself. He thought of _her_, and her beautiful face, her misty eyes gazing upwards into his, holding her in his arms and never letting go, their bodies touching, and finally, her small moist lips meeting his in a never-ending dreamy kiss, and the perfect harmony that settled around them when Lyra and he were alone together…


	3. Chapter 2: The Music Man

**Chapter 2: The Music Man**

Far off, in another world, time and universe all together, the brilliant sun rose to throw off the reigns that the darkness of the night had held over the world. Light seeped down from the horizon and glinted off fresh dew drops hanging on bowed blades of grass. Little birds chirped and warbled picturesquely and people in their homes began to wake and prepare for the new day. At Dame Hannah's college, however, one person woke from a peaceful slumber rather frumpily.

The sun peeked in between the curtains pulled over the window of a dorm room and onto the face of a sleeping young woman. She groaned and growled at this disturbance.

"Pan, be a dear and shut the, the blinds, will you?" Lyra murmured sleepily and with a jaw-cracking yawn.

"But Lyra, we have to get ready now", he said back just as drowsily.

"Oh damn, that's right, we have to greet that special person Dame Hannah told us we'd be meeting."

Pan gave a little grunt that was half agreement and half snore. Lyra swore and sat up in her bed. She looked about her room that she had come to call home over the past year. On the opposite wall across from her bed there was a chest of drawers and a hanging wardrobe. It always reminded her of the wardrobe that started the whole adventure, as it looked almost identical to the one in the Retiring Room at Jordan College. Farther on down from the wardrobe there was a marble sink and a large mirror with space behind it for personal items. Her precious alethiometer sat on the night stand next to her bed, where it always sat at night, ready for her to study its arcane symbols the next day. The desk was her favorite part of the room. It was furnished with nice fountain pens and high-quality pencils and had an anbaric reading lamp. Stacked upon it were her own copies of the alethiometer's symbol books of meanings.

Lyra's intensive studies of the meanings had begun to prove valuable lately. Although it was not possible to be able to memorize and recall every single meaning of every symbol, she was now seeing how the meanings of a symbol and that symbol related to each other, and she could ask simple questions without the use of the books. This thrilled her and Pantalaimon and amazed Dame Hannah, who could not understand how one could simply read the alethiometer without consulting the books.

Now Lyra had woken up more and she stood and stretched and walked over to her sink. She splashed water on her face and brushed her hair neatly. Today there was no time for a proper bath, so she washed her face and sprayed a sweet-smelling herb conditioner into her hair to make it smoother. In her wardrobe a clean uniform was waiting and she pulled on the blue undershirt and green vest and skirt of the college uniform and put on her shoes.

"Come on, Pan, let's go", she said to the preening pine marten on her bed.

"Okay, I'm ready", he replied and jumped down to the floor to walk beside her.

Together her and her best friend walked out the door and down the hall

Meanwhile, in the college sanctuary, Dame Hannah was meeting with her visitor.

"Please, sit wherever you desire, doctor", she offered courteously to the stranger.

There was a knock on the sanctuary door.

"Oh, that must be Lyra", she said. "Come on in, dear!"

Lyra skittishly walked into the sanctuary and down the aisle. The stranger greeted her with a warm smile and began to speak without waiting for Dame Hannah's introduction.

"You must be Lyra", he said in a light but direct tone, laced with a foreign accent which weighed his words down accordingly. Lyra could tell he always went straight to the point of what he was saying. He was wearing a typical black suit but with coattails on the jacket, and sported a head full of white hair, but neatly combed.

He continued. "Allow me to introduce myself. I am known as Josephus Sebastian von Bachran. I hail from the country of Germany and I have come to accept this college's open position of music-master. The dear Ms. Hannah informed me that you had an open interest in music."

Lyra didn't reply immediately, but after a short nip at her ankle from Pan, she answered back, "Yes, yes I was interested in learning a musical instrument."

She recalled first garnering her "interest" in the musical arts. It had been a rainy day and Lyra still had an hour and a quarter before her next study was to begin. She started walking through the college. She loved to do this, just walk from building to building, room to room with no regards to direction, just to see what could be found. This day was no different from the others to start with, but as she was walking, she heard a strange song playing from a room down a hall she had never ventured before. The song was so beautiful to her ears. It was a sad elegy, fraught with the depressing air the rain was lending to the day. The sound itself seemed heartrending, having so much expression put into every note being played just right so as to make one immediately drop whatever he or she was doing and reflect on sad days long gone.

Lyra started to cry and Pan convulsed with the sobs given by her. As she walked down the hall, the song ended on a very low note which seemed to force her heart to resonate along with the moving tone. She peeked in the room and saw a woman with long black hair sitting in a chair with a strange-shaped...thing…tucked up against her lap. Her left hand pressed down at different spots on a thin neck which ballooned into a hollow, round structure while her right hand held a long stick which she pulled back and forth along four strings strung tightly along the center of the mysterious instrument. Lyra sniffled and the girl turned to her and blushed at being watched.

"I like to play the cello", was all she said, and then she had carefully laid the cello down and walked out of the room. Lyra had walked in after that and tried unsuccessfully to produce more than just scratching noises from the cello. _Forget this chello thing _she thought angrily to herself and set it down and wandered off to wait for her next class.

"Lyra is a special case and an extremely proficient student at my college", announced Dame Hannah proudly, breaking up both the silence and Lyra's recollection. "And I'm sure she would be quite apt at whatever instrument she chose."

"I imagine she would", replied the doctor with a smile, "Lyra, have you an interest in any particular instrument or instrument family?"

Lyra thought about it and said, true to herself, "I reckon I would want to learn the hardest one. Then the rest would be easier to learn."

He broke out in a small fit of laughter and then, seeing the serious look in her eyes, went on. "Well, I see in your eyes the determination to do what you have just said. There is no stopping a soul aspiring for greatness, so I most certainly will not. I shall teach you the art of playing the organ, which you will find to be a daunting task. I will have high expectations for you dear."

His reply made Lyra a little nervous but she was not to be outdone. "Fine, I'll learn to play the organ, and then next the chello!"

"Come now, child, you can't learn everything at once!" he said back with a laugh, "My schedule is open for an hour at seven on the five week nights, if you will join me in the sanctuary of the church for lessons."

"That will be fine, Dr. Bachran. Thank you. I must be getting to my next subject now. I hope you'll excuse me. It was very nice to meet you. I will see you later too, Dame Hannah."

Lyra trotted off out the door, leaving a bemused doctor and Dame.

Dame Hannah turned to Von Bachran and remarked, "Such a sweet child, and smart too, sharper than a knife I daresay. I foresee no problems in instructing her. Now, I must bid you good day. I've shown you your office space. You may unpack your belongings and get settled in. The faculty has lunch at half-past 12. I do hope you will join me so I can introduce you to the rest of our wonderful staff."

"It would be an honor, my dear lady", he replied back, a true gentleman. He bowed and she paced down the aisle, leaving him alone to begin his day.

He went into his office in the corner of the sanctuary, and looked at the boxes. He selected one and pulled out from it a rather quaint and curious device. It looked like a box with a hollow cone at one end. He unplugged his anbaric lamp from the wall outlet and plugged the adapter for the device's power in. He pressed a small button on the side and turned a knob which moved a hand on a gauge also on the side. He moved the knob back and forth until satisfied of the position and then began to speak into the cone.

"I have made contact with the girl. She now has lessons under my teaching every day of the week and seven sharp. I will report again in two days' time with all I have learned up to that point. Stop."

He waited for around thirty seconds and then heard a reply through a set of ear-phones.

_"Understood, doctor. We are anxiously awaiting your next transmission. May the Authority shine his divine light on your work, so that you may glorify him more. Stop."_


	4. Chapter 3: The Voice Of An Angel

**Chapter 3: The Voice of an Angel**

"Ladies and Gentlemen, I now present to you this year's graduating class and in front of the processional, the Highest Honors for this year!" the Master of Ceremonies boomed into a microphone and out of ten or so PA speakers set up around the park.

The Academy band enthusiastically blurted out the graduation processional march, trying to outplay the applauding parents and other attendees with no avail. Even though they had practiced, Will still felt the butterflies, jumping and squirming inside of his stomach. The presence of the bear kicked his system into a new kind of nervous and he wasn't sure if he was ready for this.

Kyle, the salutatorian, was sweating buckets by this time, as the Valedictorian had not shown up.

_Now he's really got to step it up _thought Will. _I'd hate to be him _said Kirjava in his mind.

The line of students winded its way from the practice area up to the stage and Will took his seat with the other ten in front of the rest. The dean began his speech and congratulated the graduates, and the roll call began. Everything went smoothly and as planned, albeit one student not being present. Line after line of students made their way forwards to have their diplomas handed to them with a smile of pride and accomplishment by the dean and a hand shake with important city figures. Finally, everyone had walked across the stage and it was time for what should have been the valedictorian speech. However, since the valedictorian was missing, the honors fell to the salutatorian, Kyle. He took the podium nervously after being announced.

"L-Ladies and gentlemen, I have the great honor and pleasure of speaking for this wonderful group of people", began Kyle in a tone of voice one uses when he or she has left their prepared speech copy sitting on their desk at home, "Public education is not a matter to be taken lightly. To have worked hard through these long years is an accomplishment to take pride and dignity in, and to have succeeded even the more so. True, there have been rough times, times you wished you were never born, sleepless nights, nights you wished had never happened. Every student here has shed blood, sweat, tears, social lives, fun time, sleep time, the list goes on and on, for their education…"

Will felt his eyelids growing heavy. The speech was interesting enough, but the warmth was proving too much for him as well as many another student and parent. Had Will been paying more attention, he would have noticed the bear had risen up and moved from his original spot. He decided he would not let himself fall asleep, and resigned his mind to listen to the rest of the speech. _It can't go on forever _he thought. He was more right than he thought.

As Kyle went on with his speech, most of which was made up right there, parents and students heard a low, droning noise get louder. They all put it up to a plane that was going to pass by.

_Will, airplanes never go through this part of the city _Kirjava said to him.

_You're right. It's probably nothing though. The plane could always be flying to D-_

With a sudden roar, a zeppelin cleared a large building next to the park. People instantly murmured and pointed, wondering what it could be. They had never seen a blimp quite like this before. Will knew exactly what it was, however, and his stomach jumped and head butted his lungs clear into his throat.

_Jesus, who's flying that thing?! _He asked Kirjava. She was two steps ahead of him and was halfway to the zeppelin when a company of strange men wearing uniforms and masks jumped out of the landing zeppelin. Will saw immediately that they were carrying weapons. A figure wearing a robe more cautiously lowered himself down on a rope ladder thrown from the side. He walked forwards and asked, "Is there anyone here who goes by the name of William Parry or Kyle Greene?" Naturally, every student turned their head to look at either Will or Kyle, and naturally, the robed man noticed.

"You, and you there, step forwards immediately! Walk up to ten steps in front of me and keep your hands in the air!"

Will had no intentions of complying. His quick mind raced for an answer to the situation at hand. His thoughts were interrupted by a sickening nausea and a terrible pain in his chest. Through clenched eyes he saw one of the soldiers clamped down on a hissing and spitting black cat.

_Will, help me! _He heard Kirjava cry in his mind.

The people in the audience were on the verge of panic. The dean, livid with rage, bounded towards the strange robed man.

"You sir", he snapped, "Are a despicable person! How dare you ruin our ceremony!? By whose authority are you here and why are there armed men?!"

"I am here on His authority, and you are not permitted to interfere", the man declared. He made a motion with his hand and two of the armed men opened fire with their fully-automatic weapons. The dean jerked and flew backwards as if he had been hit with an electric shock, blood flying through the air and spattering him all over. He died with a look of surprise on his face. People began screaming and running towards the parking place. The robed man waved his arm again and the soldiers moved to intercept the crowd and drove them back with suppressed bursts of machine gun fire. Someone near the front of the throng of people yelled a cry of pain. He had been shot.

"Now, I will say again", the man continued, "Kyle Greene and William Parry, come out and put your hands in the air, no-

The bear roared and jumped out at the robed man. With one massive swipe of his awesome paw, the leader's head flew off like it had been shot from a cannon and landed in the bushes some several yards away. The soldiers scattered. They were very experienced and knew they would have no chance against such an enemy up close. They moved to surround the bear. Will knew he would be cut down in no time. He felt the pain and nausea subside finally. The soldier must have dropped Kirjava.

_Help the bear! _He yelled to her.

All he heard in reply was a sort of animal snarl. As he ran towards the group of soldiers he saw a black shadow seem to fly upwards onto the bear's back and lash out like a serpent at the closest soldier. She hit his face like a cannonball and commenced a devastating set of clawing and biting. The soldier screamed and fell down, he would probably never see again. The bear roared his appreciation and leaped towards the four or so men still close together. He shifted his weight forward and scattered their masses like a bowling ball does to the pins at the end of the lane. By this time Will had acquired a sidearm from a fallen soldier and fired at men who were attempting to catch Kirjava or circle the bear. He did not notice one soldier, however, who raised his weapon and prepared to fire at Will. The soldier fired and the bullet grazed the side of Will's head. Time seemed to slow as Will spun towards the soldier and took aim, but he knew it was too late, the solider would have fired already. He heard the expected gunshot and still fired his pistol anyway.

He didn't have time to see if he hit his mark, however, as a white light seemed to surround him and cloud his vision. He heard a flying object scream by and deflect the bullet. The soldier, with a look of awe and surprise on his face, fell with Will's bullet in his heart. Will had no time to speculate after that, because whatever dove by flew behind him, grabbed him, and lifted him off the ground. He looked up and saw white beating wings and felt the cool air forced downwards by their movement. He couldn't believe what he saw. As he was flying through the battle, he heard a pulse in his mind and understood, reaching his arms out to catch Kirjava as she jumped to him. The remaining soldiers, seeing this turned their attention to the strange flying object and prepared to fire. Spread out as they were, the crossfire would be sure to take Will out. The bear roared and as Will turned his head to look, he took out two soldiers with one massive paw swipe. The soldiers turned back on the bear and unloaded on him. Will saw with horror the sacrifice the bear made so that he could get away.

"Iorek Byrnison sends his regards, William Parry!" the bear bellowed out in his last moments, "Find your way to him and tell him my mission was successful!"

Will could only look on with sadness as the bear was brought down by machine gun fire, but as the bear seemed to fall, one last great store of strength was tapped, and the bear jumped at the zeppelin, clawing and cleaving everything on it until he finally hit the fuel tank, and the park went up in a massive fireball.

He felt his vision tunneling and growing darker. As he fought vainly to stay conscious, he heard a powerful yet soothing voice.

"Hold on, Will, hold o…"


	5. Chapter 4: Kyle

**Chapter 4: Kyle**

Kyle never really believed in the power of friends and kindness or any of that song and dance. He had always been an outcast, different from other people, but never knowing why, or caring. He would talk to anyone who talked to him, and was a nice enough person. His mother taught him proper manners and made sure he upheld them.

He never knew much about his father. All his mother would ever say was that "He was a bad man." even as Kyle grew older and older. She would never say more. He chalked it up to bad memories, and never asked any more.

She tried to teach him the things he would need to know in life: the differences between right and wrong, how to act around people, politeness; and he never had a problem with any of these. Life was not ideal, but it was not bad. His mother, though not having much formal education, was a brilliant woman, and quite attractive. She used this to her advantage and jumped around from job to job, always moving up the ladder a little. Her most recent job was a production overseer at a factory that produced airplane parts, and she was very good at her job. Things like money were never a problem, mostly because she was smart with hers.

For Kyle, growing up didn't seem too bad, all up until the day his mother died.

She had picked him up from the high school in Denver, Colorado. Everything was normal, she asked how his day went, he asked about hers. They decided to do a bit of shopping. Winter was drawing closer, and they both needed new coats and winter clothes. They walked out of the department store new people. Her in her new business slacks and black, double-breasted wool coat, and he in his new cotton long-sleeved pull-over and cargo pants, and his new pride and joy: a pair of green All-Stars on his feet. They grabbed a bite to eat, his mother didn't feel very much like cooking after their excursion, and they headed home. They were singing a song together in the car, a Santana song. Kyle liked many types of music but his mother always made sure he knew his roots.

_When I come home, baaaby, the house is dark and my pots are cold…_

The man who tried to run the red light never saw their little car until it was too late. His SUV crashed into the driver's side with a horrific crunch and a harsh, grating squealing noise. For Kyle, whose head was leaning against his window, the crashed snapped him to his left side, and then rebounded his head back into the window, shattering it and rendering him unconscious. His mother took the full blow of the impact.

He would hear the doctors talking later. _It was an awful crash, Steve. The woman's entire left side was broken. _

_The EMTs said she was DOA?_

_Yes, the internal injuries were too great. Even if she was still alive when they got there, she wouldn't have made it back to th…_

__ __ __

He tried not to think of such things now, of course. He never really started crying until after his mother died. Now, he felt more emotionally sensitive about things.

It had been two years. In the time since, he had gone to live with distant relatives in England, of all places. His mom's aunt and uncle weren't English, they had moved there so his great uncle, Clyde, could take a job. They were peaceable and likeable enough, but for Kyle, they reminded him too much of his mother, and so he went to live at the school he was attending. The money for his attendance was covered by what his mother had saved away, and earned through investments. It was transferred over to an English bank so that Kyle could have access to it. He made two good friends in a slightly older woman who was a teller, and her father, who owned the actual bank. Every now and then he would go over for dinner, and life seemed to resume somewhat normally.

__ __ __

Sitting in Rachel's (the bank teller who was his friend) house, with Will sleeping on her couch, he had time to think about all of this, but Anna mostly. He remembered the first time they had met.

It had been a normal day at school. It even ended normally, with him walking back to the dorm, when a voice beckoned to him from an alleyway between two of the subject buildings. Cynical, but curious, he walked most of the way over, but the voice insisted that he should come into the alley, so, fighting the voice in his head, he did.

It was dim, but not dark. He could identify the speaker as a big chav named Benjamin. A large, ape-like thing, he and Kyle had conflicted when Kyle exposed him for cheating on an essay test of all things, in class. Benjamin had been trying to look off of tests around him, but Kyle wouldn't play ball, and loudly remarked, "I wish you wouldn't look off of me on this test. It's easy enough that you don't need to and it's an essay test, for Christ's sake, you can't just steal an answer."

The teacher caught whiff of the cheater and took him out of the room to the dean's office.

Benjamin started talking, "Right, so, I'm most likely getting expelled for your stunt today, and I decided that if I have to leave, I'm not letting a scaffy little bugger like you stay here either."

At that moment, the back of Kyle's knee seemed to explode, and he fell down on one leg in pain. Looking back, he could see that someone had swung a bat at the back of his leg. The front of his shirt was yanked up, and he found himself looking at a very sharp knife.

"I'm gonna put your ass in the infirmary for a month!"

He held up his arm to ward off the impending knife swing, and caught it on his wrist bone. The cut was not very deep, but it stung like a mother.

Whoever held the bat swung again at his back, and he fell back in pain. Kyle felt his eyes water up, and he tried, but could not help crying. Who would want to hurt him this much?

Benjamin laughed at this, and made fun of him, jested him about it. He was getting ready to take a whack with the knife again when a shrill voice screamed out.

"WHAT ARE YOU DOING TO HIM?!"

Kyle heard feet running over the stone, and all of a sudden, a body was over his, shielding him. Another set of feet, this one in boots or something of the sort, followed behind.

This is security! Put your hands where I can see them!"

The rest followed in a haze for Kyle. The two boys were arrested, and he was taken to a hospital, as his knee was starting to swell, and his back hurt considerably. They wanted him to stay for one night, and he could go. As he lay in the bed, a girl entered the room. She had picturesque blue eyes, he noticed, the kind the people have in books. Her hair was long and dark brown. She came up to him and introduced herself.

"Hi Kyle, my name is Anna. I…found you back there. I couldn't believe what they did to you. I went and found the guard, and came running back…"

She started to tear up, obviously very distressed.

"Thank you", he said, through the haze of the analgesics used for his knee and back. She smiled at him, but still looked watery.

"You don't have an English accent…" he went on, sounding woozy.

"I'm from the United States. My family moved here a few years ago, to retire early."

"Your name is very…pretty."

"Why thank you, but, Kyle, you should get some rest."

He mumbled something in agreement, and as she turned, she was surprised to feel his hand take hers. He then fell asleep, and she stayed with him.

__ __ __

He missed her greatly now. As Will slept on, he thought of her more, of the time he went back to school, regarded almost as a hero, they became very good friends. They would talk, and spend the days together. He finally attained the courage to ask her out to a dinner, and she blushingly accepted. He remembered when they first hugged, kissed. Each day around her he grew happier and happier, and she did the same. He remembered the first time they had decided to make love. They were so awkward about it but in their passion they did not care, and after, she had slept, laying her head on him, and he could not think of a better thing in the world.

"-So where are we?"

Will was awake, he must have been strolling down memory lane for a long time.

"We're at a friend's house. Do not worry."

"What happened back there?"

"I think you know a lot more about it than I do. I believe you have a few things to explain", and Will told him a story, that took almost the whole night.


	6. Chapter 5: Worlds Collide

Chapter Five: Worlds Collide

The attack on Dame Hannah's school came unexpectedly. Lyra had been asleep only an hour or so when the first of the explosions sounded off. By the time the second or third had went off, she had shot out of the bed as if jolted and was throwing clothes on. She could hear screams, but they were far off.

"Lyra, what's going on?" Pan asked, sleepy and scared at the same time.

"I don't know, was there some kind of accident?" she replied, the wonder that such a thing would happen here spilling through in her voice. "Pan, you'd better go check, you move way faster than I can."

With a mental nod he was off through the window. Lyra heard murmuring in the hallway, and went outside to find more students, all in a state of confusion. They were all asking the same questions, getting more frantic by the second. Professors had started to appear now, still in their nightcaps most of them. They had no answers, but were doing the best they could to restore the status quo.

_Lyra, three different building have caught fire_.

Pan's voice echoed in her mind. She couldn't believe that this was any sort of an accident. She needed to consult the alethiometer, and quickly. Though she was not at the level she once was as a reader, she could ask semi-complicated questions without consulting any of the books. She found an empty room down the hall, and pulled it out from her sack. She turned the three knobs: the first to the candle, for the explosion and fires outside; the second to the cauldron, symbolizing the school; and the third to the apple, for the knowledge as to why it happened. The answer came back in a flurry of movements but her trained eyes caught them.

_The fires are as a paper wall painted the color of iron _it told her in its mysterious ways. She knew what it meant.

_Pan, the fires are a distraction for something! What can you see?_

_Lyra, people are running around all over from the fires but there are strange people creeping to the school from the East side. They wear dark clothes, and it is hard for even me to see them._

She knew trying to yell it out in front of the students would cause more panic, so she found the highest ranked professor she could, and whispered to him what she had found. Word had spread of her dæmon's ability to be far away from her, and her growing ability to read the alethiometer, and so the professor did not question her knowledge. He stalked off to find Dame Hannah, and let her know. Meanwhile, Lyra used a passage in a closet she had found that lead to the attic, and ultimately, the roof. It was dark, and the fires blotted out much of the moonlight from the sky, so anyone who had motive to would be well suited to sneaking in the school.

Lyra tried hard to make her eyes adjust to the darkness, and caught fleeting glimpses of people moving in a field below to the East, as Pan had said.

_Lyra I'm coming back to you. Where are you?_

_I'm on the roof of my dormitory watching for those strange people._

With a shock she realized that some had reached the walls of the closest buildings to them and were climbing. They obviously had to be looking for something, she thought, why else would there be fires started for distractions? There was a clatter on the roof behind her. Thinking it was Pan, she turned around to greet him, but was instead greeted by three people, dressed in all black, who had climbed up the walls of her building.

One put his hand up to his ear and pressed inward, "This is to all groups, I have found one of the targets. Moving in, target doesn't appear hostile." All three of the men moved closer, and she reflexively moved closer to the edge.

"It's a long way down, girl, why don't you just come with us?"

There was something familiar about the way the lead person spoke, but Lyra wasn't about to stay and find out. She moved closer and closer to the edge, knowing that there was a river running on the side of the building she was on.

"Not today, you rotten sneakers!" she proclaimed triumphantly, and she turned to jump off the side in a heroic escape attempt. They were ready for this, however, and quickly threw a net forward. She was snared before she could make it to the edge, and one of the cloaked people sprayed a strange gas in her face. Her vision grew foggy, and she couldn't hold on for long. With a sigh, she passed out.

__ __ __

She awoke with a start, jumping up and then sitting down very quickly, because it felt like someone had jammed a hedgehog into the front of her brain.

"Owww Pan where are you?" she called instinctively.

No answer, neither in her ears nor in her mind. She sat up slowly, and looked around. She was in a cell of some sort, in what appeared to be some sort of warehouse. She didn't have long to think, however, as a door opened and a guard walked in, on patrol.

"Oh, so you're awake now, eh? Ha, you were a little 'eavy, that's for sure."

She ignored the jibe, and called out for Pan in her mind.

"I wouldn't keep trying to call for your darlin' Pan, now, if I were you. You see this thing in my ear, it lets me hear the thoughts going between people and their dæmons. In fact, we all got 'em 'round here, so keep it quiet!"

She rose and glared at the guard with every ounce of ferocity she could muster. How dare he, or anyone else, know what went on between her and Pan in their minds. Those were HER thoughts, HER conversations. The guard looked awfully uncomfortable, and was very glad that the cage was there. He turned and stood guard facing the other way, away from that stare, and those mean eyes.

Lyra felt an impulse in her mind, no words, just a thought full of love, and support. The guard noticed it, too. He jumped up in alarm, looking around wildly, and reaching up to report in his earpiece. He didn't have time to speak, however. There was a screeching noise, and a red-gold blur fell down on him from the pipes above, and promptly starting biting and scratching. The guard yelled and danced a frantic jig, and tried to pull the mad animal off his head. He got a hold of the animal's tail, and pulled, trying to dislodge it, but another blur seems to speed down from the ceiling. This one took the shape of a person, and with the dagger she held, sliced the guard's throat open.

Lyra stood there in shock, even as Pan ran up to the cage, partly because of the violent killing, but also because the person, who was a quite attractive woman, appeared to have giant rabbit ears growing from her head.

She took the guard's key, and opened the cage door. Lyra caught Pan in her arms, but still looked at the newcomer in strange awe.

"We…need to go now", said the strange rabbit-thing with a deliberate pacing finality that you knew you couldn't argue with.

"Wha…What are you? I'm sorry, I mean, who are you?" asked Lyra, blushing that she had accidently called the woman a _what_.

The woman smirked, "My name is Fran Ardyh. I am a Viera. I am guessing you know not much about my race? It is to be expected. I come not from this world"

Lyra composed herself and shook the woman's hand. She ventured up the courage to ask, "So, why do you have rabbit ears?"

"I know not of this "rabbit" of which you speak, but my race has a close relation to the forest we live in. We are finely attuned with nature, and our ears grow larger so that we may hear many things as they stir in the forest. But, now is not the proper time for introductions. Follow me, we must find a way off this airship."

"_AIR-_ship?!"

But Fran was already walking out the door. Lyra readjusted Pan and followed her out.


	7. Chapter 6: Strange Circumstances

**Chapter 6: Strange Circumstances**

_Kirjava, where are you?_ Will called for her, missing her presence.

_Do not fear, my sweet, I am out trying to discover more of this attack. I will see you soon. You should talk to Kyle, try to find out more about him._

_Okay…please hurry, and be careful._

"So tell me Kyle, how did you get involved in all of this?"

Kyle remained lost in thought for a moment.

"Kyle?"

"Oh, sorry Will, I was just recollecting. Well, I guess my part in this starts with Anna and me."

"Anna? You mean, the valedictorian Anna?"

"Yes." Kyle laughed softly to himself. "We're pretty good chums, you see. And we had a secret. We thought we were the only ones that knew. But I think that's the only reason that your Authority people would have came looking for both me and you."

"A secret?"

"Yes." Kyle would say no more. Something was on Will's mind, something that had been bothering him for a while.

"Kyle, what happened back there? Something grabbed me and pulled me away from the massacre. Did you see what it was? And what happened with you?"

"I-I'm not sure what happened, Will…" His voice had a hesitancy behind it.

"You're lying." Will said. Not accusingly, but softly. Kyle looked alarmed, trapped. Then, unexpectedly, Kyle's eyes started brimming. Will saw he was about to cry. He felt very awkward.

"Hey…er, it's okay." He tried to be consoling. Kyle's eyes watered some, but he answered in a normal voice.

"No, its fine, I just, I'm sorry; I didn't need to lie to you. I feel bad. I just get...sensitive sometimes, is all."

"Well, I won't pressure you any, okay?" Will offered a smile.

"It's something you should know though."

Kyle stood and walked across the room, his back to Will.

"Close your eyes."

Will closed them, and a blinding light seemed to flash through the room. He felt its intensity through his closed eyelids. A cool wind brushed against his face. He opened his eyes, and couldn't believe what he saw. From Kyle's back, large white wings had sprouted. They were feathery, and graceful, and beautiful to Will. His physical appearance was no different, apart from the wings, but an aura surrounded him. Will couldn't see it, but _felt_ it around his body.

He stammered, "Yo-you…you're an…_angel_? But no, angels are transparent. How? What are you?"

"I'm…half of an angel. My mother was human. She didn't know about me, and so I never knew about my father really. She always called him a bad man, but would never tell me more. This is probably why your Church wanted me. I must be an abomination to them."

Kirjava climbed through the window suddenly, and ran to Will's lap. She studied him unremarkably, and spoke.

"There's something you don't see everyday."

Kyle replied to Will, "So this is your…dæmon? It seems we are both strange in this world."

__ __ __

Lyra followed the Viera down the hall.

"Do you have any idea where we're going?" she called up ahead to the woman.

"Yes, we are going to find my friend, and then head to the launch bay."

"Your friend? Is he like you?

Fran chuckled, "No, _she_ is not a Viera if that's what you mean. She is from a different world than me. Now quiet, we must hurry."

They ran down halls that all looked the same to Lyra, but Fran seemed to know where she was going, taking a right here, a left there, going through several doors. Finally they came through one last door into another warehouse like the one Lyra had been in. There was another impromptu cage set up in the middle. Lyra saw another woman sitting inside. She was wearing strange clothes: a white button-up shirt, held together by a thick brown leather belt, and blue pants tucked into slightly above knee-high boots. She rose up at the sight of the other two.

"I'm glad as hell to see you Fran. Who's your friend there?"

"She was another prisoner, of some importance, I perceived, from my eavesdropping. Did you not have a guard?"

"Well, actually, I pissed the bugger off so bad he punched me in the face and left, prolly to get someone else."

Fran pressed her ear up to the door and listened intently. She caught faint voices from down the hall, but approaching towards the room.

"_Did she really piss you off that bad?"_

_"Yeah, you wouldn't believe what she said about me dear ol' mother…"_

Fran chuckled, then ran to the cage and expertly picked the cage padlock. The woman, who reminded Lyra of the pirates she loved to learn about from her history lessons, hustled to a crate, and grabbed some belongings off it. She strapped her belt on, put a pistol in a sheath on her right side, grabbed one sabre and slid it in a sheath on her other side and grabbed the other sabre laying there and held on to it.

"Are you armed?" she asked Fran.

Fran pulled out her dagger from earlier and pulled a grim smile.

"What about you?" she asked Lyra.

"Well, no, I don't carry any weapons." Lyra replied, discouraged. "I can fight though, you just watch me! They just caught me off guard earlier!"

"You have a fiery spirit." The pirate-woman remarked, "My name is Adelina. Here, use these."

She handed Lyra to slightly curved metal bands with leather stripes on the sides.

"Tie the leather around your hand and let the metal rest on your knuckles. If they come after you, aim for the face or the groin, whichever is less protected."

"Thank you" Lyra stumbled out, amazed at this woman, "My name is Lyra. Pleased to meet you." She remembered her manners.

"A pleasure, likewise. Fran, you take one, I'll get the other. There aren't that many footsteps, must just be two."

The door slid open, and two guards walked in, thinking nothing was awry. The looks of smug confidence turned to surprised incredulousness as they saw what had unfolded while the one had been gone. They drew their swords.

"Hey! You there! How did you get out of that cage?! Blasted woman!"

Neither of them saw Fran perched on top of the cage. She bounded off the top, performing a half-backflip through the air and landing on one guard's shoulders. Her dagger found his neck, and he went down gurgling. Adelina rushed toward the remaining guard, swatted his sword out of his hand with one swift saber blow, pulled her pistol and shot him in the face, all in one motion it seemed to Lyra, and he went down also.

Fran ran out, followed by Adelina, and Lyra, holding both the iron bands and Pan still, and who was still a little hesitant to believe that this was even happening. More turns, doors, and hallways later, they ran into a large hangar area. Fran looked around for a second, and found what she was looking for. She ran to a smaller looking strange vehicle, and pulled down the hatch.

"Come on!"

Neither Adelina nor Lyra needed any extra encouraging, and they boarded the strange craft.

Fran sat in the pilot's seat, and began manipulating controls. The craft emitted a strange hum, and the inside lit up. Lyra felt a buzz pass through her.

She asked, "So how do we get out of this hangar? I think the door is closed."

Adelina laughed and replied, "We blow through it."

Lyra almost yelled and Pan yipped when the craft suddenly rose off the landing platform, and moved forward a little.

"The main launcher is charged." Fran said, to no one in particular, and pressed a big, red button. An enormous beam of light erupted from under the front end of the craft, and the main launch bay door exploded in a decompression of molten door fragments, debris, and even a couple people who had been standing around. The craft launched forward, causing Lyra to fly back and drop Pan. Scooping up the offended dæmon, she sat down in a seat behind Fran and leaned forward to look out of the front window. Fran expertly maneuvered the ship through the bay and out into the open. Lyra felt so exhilarated! Wait until the people at home heard of this! She sat back to enjoy the ride.


	8. Chapter 7: Drawing Closer

-1**Chapter 7: Drawing Closer**

"Kyle?" Will asked tentatively, "How can you be half of an angel? I do not understand. I mean, angels aren't physical beings. How can humans and angels produce children together?"

Kyle's eyes attained a far-away look. "Well, Will, that's the story of my life so far. I've never been able to figure out why I'm the way I am. To this day I still wonder if my mother even knew or not. She never mentioned it."

"I'm sure she knew, though" replied Will. "Mothers have a way of knowing…" His voice and thoughts changed now, off of the uncomfortable subject of loved ones who weren't there and instead roosting on the present situation.

"So where are we, again, Kyle?"

"We're at my friend Rachel's house. She is a teller at a bank around here. Her and her father look after me."

"Does she know we are here?"

"Yes, I told her when we arrived. She went back to sleep."

"Does Anna know about you?"

"Yes, she discovered my secret one day. She was the first person ever to know."

"Why wasn't she at graduation today?"

"I don't know, Will." Kyle was tired, however he understood that Will was simply attempting to pool his resources together, in a sense, so he answered Will's questions as best he could. "I haven't heard from her since last night. I called and called, but never got an answer. I would have went over, but her parents never really cared for me, so I didn't think I would get very far. When the sun rises I'm going to check on her."

"I'll go with you then. But are you ready to accept the possibility that those people may have taken her?"

"Yes, and then the next step will be to search for whatever window they came in through." Kyle turned his gaze over on Will. "Would you, really want to go with me though?" he asked, lifting the end of the sentence, sounding hopeful.

Will thought the question was silly, until he realized Kyle was serious.

_Will, he doesn't have any friends other than Anna. He's probably spent most of his life alone. You would have asked the same question a year ago._

Kirjava's words echoed through his mind, as he smiled.

"Of course I'll go with you, Kyle. They're after both of us, and we're definitely in this together now. We're friends from here on out. We should probably grab a few hours of sleep while we can, though."

"Okay, Will, that sounds like a plan." Kyle had since averted his gaze, so Will could not see the smile, but he could do nothing to quell the rising feeling in his chest. He had a friend.

They both wandered off to the land where sleeping minds congregate.

___ ___ ___

Rachel pulled her robe on and treaded heavily down the stairs. Last night's intrusion still weighed heavily on her eyelids, as she was not a good sleeper. Down in the kitchen, she put water on to boil, listening to the exceptionally clear sound of the birds outside, and of heavy breathing from the den. She hadn't questioned her friend's motives last night, or as to why he had brought an unconscious young man, he had never given her a reason not to trust him, and she intended to honor that.

_They must be dead tired_ she thought. She would ask her questions when Kyle woke up. The kettle began to whistle. She pulled it off the stove and walked into the den.

"Kyle, dear, have some te-.."

There was a man in her den, attired in a soldier's uniform. He had his sidearm out, silencer attached, and was taking aim at Will.

"AAHHHHHHH" She let out a shrill scream and, doing the first thing her mind commanded, launched the kettle mightily at the intruding figure. The scream and the resulting _Bongggg_ had Will up like a lightning bolt. He assessed the situation in a split second and leaped after the soldier, who at the moment was contending with severe scalds and burns. Will kicked his leg out from under him and knocked the pistol loose. It slid along the floor, and Kyle retrieved it.

"Who are you? Why are you here?!" Will interrogated the writhing soldier, but he would say nothing.

_THUD THUD_. Two loud knocks sounded at the door.

_"Open this door immediately! You will not be harmed. We wish to speak with the boys you are harboring!"_

"Will, we have to get out of here." Kyle's eyes were wide, but he wasn't afraid.

"How? We can't go out any way or I'm sure we'll be caught in a cross-fire!"

"Just head up the stairs then!"

"Kyle, wait!" Rachel was on the verge of panic.

"Rachel, get your father and stay down in your basement! Don't you have a hidden space built in?"

"Y-Yes, Kyle, okay, I trust you. Will you tell me what this is all about later?"

"I will, Rachel, I'll be back to make sure you're okay."

She nodded, and he ran up the stairs, following Will. Will was on the second floor, looking out of windows, trying to find a clearing, but there were more men on each side. Even if Kyle tried to fly them out, they would be cut down. He saw no way out of this.

The door burst open downstairs, and soldiers started to pour in, shouting commands. Will knew it was only a matter of a minute or two.

"I say, you two appear to be in some trouble."

Will shifted towards the sound of the foreign voice. A strange creature was standing in the corner. It was purple, of all things, with a strange-shaped head. It was dressed in what appeared to be a jester's outfit. Will had no time to remain incredulous, however.

"Well, I think you are too unless you have some way to get out of here, you strange thing."

"Hm hm hm, tsk tsk young one, how cheeky you are." the creature responded jovially.

"I don't know why you're so happy, we're in serious trouble in here."

"Oh, you worry too much. I am here to help the angel and the one who once had the power to travel between worlds. I am assuming that you and your friend are these people? If you both will come here, we shall take our leave."

Will had no choice but to trust the strange…_thing_. Kyle rushed into the room, stopping to stare for a second at the newcomer, but talking to Will.

"They didn't find Rachel or her father in the basement. We need to go, now."

"Just leave that, to me." said the jester. He rose off the ground, by no apparent effort, and floated through the air. He flew in a circle, and a sprinkle of shiny dust was released. With a flash, a portal of some sort opened, and he flew in. The two needed no further words, and jumped in behind him.

___ ___ ___

Lyra was tired. She was just exhausted, in every sense of the word. After escaping from the airship, Fran had maneuvered as well as she could, but one shot from an opposing ship flew true, and Fran was forced to crash-land in a jungle of some sort. She had left to draw off pursuers, instructing Lyra and Adelina to climb the mountain that lay in the distance.

When Lyra asked why they had to climb the mountain, Adelina said "Whatever window led us into this world is up there. We need to get back through. It beats staying here."

So Lyra and Adelina set off, trekking through the dense wood, which was oddly enough, a mix of tropical ferns, trees, and brush which was towered over by enormous coniferous trees. It was a forest that shouldn't be, and completely silent. No birds, animals, insects, no life at all. Adelina knew how tired Lyra must be, but pressing on was more important, so she made conversation.

"So, Lyra, do you have a male consort or companion of some kind?"

Lyra looked up, thinking to herself for a minute.

"I am in love with a bo-… a man named Will. I have not seen him in some time though."

"Then you must miss him terribly?"

"Yes, yes I do, but I can do nothing about it. He lives in another world, and we gave up the means to see each other."

"Why? If you don't mind me asking."

"It's complex, Adelina."

"Try me. And call me Addy, you're making me feel all proper."

So Lyra told her the whole saga, from beginning to end.

___ ___ ___

"That's a hell of a goddamn story, Lyra." Adelina said in quiet wonder when the tale was finally recounted. "Not many people could have given up what you did for the better of the world. I know I couldn't have."

Lyra was silent for a while. The mountain had drawn closer, they had reached the start of the foothills reaching out from the rough stone, like roots of a giant tree.

"Are you in love with anyone, Addy?"

"Ah, it's complicated with me too, darling. I'm sure you don't want to hear about the story of an old woman."

"I don't think you're old. I think you're a beautiful woman. So, try me."

Adelina smiled, in spite of herself.

"Well, my first love, his name was Fernando. He was on a ship trying to protect my crew and baby during one of the biggest naval battles my world had ever seen. You see, I'm a pirate captain, name of Adelina Esperanza. But my crew, they betrayed us, sold us out for money and a reprieve from the law. Fernando died, along with my poor baby. I would have died too if not for a kind man named Durandel D'Imois, who pulled me from the water, took care of my wounds. He understood my plight, and we helped each other. He helped me to attain revenge for my love, and I helped him to become a great pioneer and a man of much importance. We were slated to be wed one day, but it was not to be. He was also killed in a great struggle for power.

After that I thought my life was finished. I never thought I would be happy again. I was closer than I like to think to putting my pistol against my skull and just ending it, ending the pain. It was like walking in the ocean and trying to stand against the waves crashing down. I wanted them to pull me under, forever, Lyra. It's an awful feeling, wandering around with no purpose in your life. But, over time, I grew indifferent to the sadness, began living out my life for what it was worth. And then we found Fran one day on a boat out in the ocean. She said she came through a window from a different world. I felt so excited! We set out to explore this window, but we were taken by surprise, the men from the airship captured my vessel, blew it straight to hell.

Fran and I were kept together as prisoners. We developed a bond. A bond that grew into a great friendship, and, eventually…into a love for one another…during our escapades. Now, I know you think that sounds taboo, or even forbidden, Lyra" For Adelina had caught a look of surprise and astonishment from her on hearing this confession of strange love, "but eventually you'll learn that love is blind. It has no respect for race, gender, whatever. If you love someone, then you love who they are inside. Fran and I have a lot in common. We were both outcasts, we had both lost someone, we connected."

"I'm sorry Addy, I didn't mean to act so weird about it. I understand what you are talking about, I really do." Lyra proceeded to tell the story of Balthamos and Baruch and the love they had for each other. She suddenly missed Will terribly, and Adelina's tale made her sniffle and tear up. Adelina stopped for a minute and followed suit. She pulled Lyra into an embrace, the kind a mother would give a child, or one friend to another who was feeling down.

"Hush, dear, there's no need for your tears. You're making this old salt cry, too."

Lyra pulled away, wiped her eyes and looked around. They had reached the base of the mountain after a good long while of hiking, and darkness was approaching.

Adelina sat down and propped herself up against a rock.

"Come on, Lyra, we need to get some rest for a little while. We'll sleep and get going early in the morning. No point in climbing in the dark."

Lyra laid back on a grassy knoll and gazed at the top of the mountain. It was certainly reachable. She thought of what lay beyond the window, of maybe getting to see Will again…


End file.
